Our Story

White Whale Farm & Pugs Leap Cheese is a small goat dairy and creamery. All of our farmstead artisan cheese is made by hand onsite. Our 120 happy and healthy goats provide all the milk for our cheese. By using only our own goats’ milk we are able to control the process and quality from start to finish, allowing us to provide a premium, hand crafted cheese. Our dairy and creamery are housed in a beautiful barn that was built in 1867.

The goats are protected by Samson and Cosette, our Anatolian Shepherds, who we have named two of our cheeses after. We also have some pigs and about 500 chickens who help us keep the farm clean by eating our scraps and extra whey from cheese making. We recently have added pastured-raised eggs to our offerings. We hope you enjoy Pugs Leap Cheese as much as we enjoy creating it!

Our Team

Anna Hancock

How to turn a lifelong dream of caring for animals and living off the land into reality? Why, by buying a farm. In 2008 Anna and her family were able to purchase an organic farm and goat dairy. The first years were hectic: enrolled at Hastings College of Law with another two years to go Anna had to juggle writing briefs while birthing baby goats. Rather than selling her milk, making cheese, she soon realized, was the next logical step. In 2010 she jumped at the chance to buy Pugs Leap Cheese from the original owners, Pascal Destandau and Eric Smith. Pascal showed her how to make cheeses based on the recipes and experience he had acquired in his years working in France. She rented the original Pugs Leap creamery in Healdsburg for one year, transporting her farm's milk in cans in her old Subaru. That same year, while making cheese, Anna managed to pass the California State bar exam as goat kids were being born right and left. Over the last four years she built a creamery at the farm and is constantly experimenting with reviving old favorites like "Petit Marcel" and adding new cheeses like "Samson" to her delicious fresh chèvre "Cosette". And now: no more hauling heavy cans around! Gravity sends her goats' milk straight from the dairy's tank into the creamery vats.

Ben Rupchis

Herd Manager

Ben has been herd manager since fall of 2011. An east coast native, he grew up on his family's farm in Virginia. He is firmly committed to providing the herd with a high level of care and the creamery with a steady supply of quality milk.

Our Partners

First Light Farm

Petaluma, CA

Our vision at First Light Farm is simple. To cultivate health and love through conscious transformation of our community and ourselves.